Resolution calling upon the United Parcel Service to revoke the notices of termination delivered to employees at its warehouse in Maspeth and resolve its dispute with these employees through negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 804.

Resolution calling upon the United Parcel Service to revoke the notices of termination delivered to employees at its warehouse in Maspeth and resolve its dispute with these employees through negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 804.

By Council Members Miller, Barron, Chin, Constantinides, Lander, Mendez, Richards, Kallos and Koslowitz

Whereas, The United Parcel Service (UPS) fired an employee at its Maspeth, Queens warehouse and distribution hub in February 2014, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 804 ("Local 804"), which represents the employee; and

Whereas, According to Local 804 news releases, other UPS employees and their Union felt that this employee's termination was undeserved and in violation of negotiated procedures for resolving disciplinary disputes and grievances; and

Whereas, In response to these concerns, roughly 250 employees of the UPS Maspeth warehouse staged a job action and protest, according to CBS News; and

Whereas, Following the job action, Local 804 engaged UPS in negotiations to try to resolve the dispute; and

Whereas, However, according to Local 804, on March 6th, 2014, UPS sent notices of termination to those 250 employees who had participated in the job action; and

Whereas, In so doing, UPS both imperiled the negotiation process and threatened the livelihoods of 250 workers; and

Whereas, Following the issuance of these termination notices, Local 804 again publicly voiced its commitment to addressing the dispute through negotiation; and

Whereas, Key leaders, including former United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, United States Representatives Joseph Crowley and Grace Meng, and New York City Public Advocate Leticia James, have expressed support for the UPS employees who were delivered termination notices, according to Local 804; and

Whereas, Although UPS maintains that the job action was illegal, these tools have long been staples of successful labor movements, and union members should not be restricted from employing these strategies if they feel workers are being treated unfairly; and

Whereas, The swift reinstatement of negotiations and withdrawal of the termination notices would restore labor-management relations, show respect for the rights of employees, and preserve the functioning of UPS's key Maspeth hub; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United Parcel Service to revoke the notices of termination delivered to employees at its warehouse in Maspeth and resolve its dispute with these employees through negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 804.